The Heart of Mary

I have found something new to put my time and attention towards.  (You know those few spare moments I can find here and there.)  So, because I am absolutely and completely insane, I have joined a huge group of absolutely and completely insane people over at NaNoWriMo.  We will all be attempting to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days time from November 1 to November 30.  INSANE!!!  But, I am actually really really really really excited about it and I keep having to stop myself from writing (the rules state that you can’t begin until the 1st).

What is it going to be about, you ask?  Well, here goes…

I’ve always enjoyed writing thoughts down, sharing them here and there with others, and really letting my brain go into a philosophical dive from time to time.  But, every time I’ve tried to write fiction, I just can’t seem to let the characters take over to tell the story.  Lately Wade and I have been really trying to actively grow in our faith, meditating on talks and reading the Catechism and Scripture.  Through all this, an idea emerged that has completely taken over my heart and soul.  It really started when I was pregnant with Ev.

The one question I have continually asked myself has been, “I wonder if Mary went through this with Jesus.”  With everything involving motherhood I have thought this, did Mary have morning sickness?  did Mary have heartburn?  was Jesus born with hair if she did?  did Mary just want to sit in a hot bath all day to take the soreness from her back?  how did Mary sooth Jesus when he was teething?  did she have trouble nursing him at all?

I bet I think these thoughts several times a day.  And then it always leads me to reflect on Jesus’ life in a different way.  Seriously, Jesus came to us as an infant.  He had to learn to walk and talk like we did.  And eat pureed fruit for the first year of His life.

One of the speakers Wade and I enjoy a lot (Matthew Kelly) spoke about Mary and motherhood in general.  He said, “Nobody sees a child’s life like his mother.  Even his father.”  He goes on to talk about how we should all want to enter into the Heart of Mary to reflect on Jesus’ life.  Which leads me to my attempt at a novel.

I want to truly enter into the heart of Mary to reflect on Jesus’ life.  And I want to share it with whoever will join me.  Most people who participate in NaNoWriMo spend October researching and outlining their stories.  So, I have been spending my month trying to enter into Mary’s heart and soul, reading all I can and thinking about Jesus’ life from her eyes.  I hope you are as excited as I am for November to roll around to see where this meditation takes us.  But for now, I will leave you with a reflection I had the other day.  Keep in mind that it is a very rough draft and by no means a completed work.  However, I hope that it leaves you wanting more!!!

Wedding at Cana

“I know that my son’s time is drawing near.  My heart and soul can feel the times changing.  I’m not ready to give my Son to the world, but as God wills it, so it will be.  The wedding feast is next week and I am very excited for the celebration, but I am sad in seeing Jesus start His ministry.  I’m sad to see it start because I don’t want it to end.  He doesn’t quite realize that His time is drawing near, but He  soon will.  After all, He is the Son of God….”

I can’t wait to really explore these thoughts, and I hope you are ready for this journey come November!!!  I will post tidbits as I write them!!!!

The End

I’ve always heard the last few weeks of pregnancy can really be a drag.  I’m really trying not to see it that way.  Of course, I have reached the point in which I just don’t believe that a baby is actually in there….  and Husband said he reached that point this morning.  I really have convinced myself that I will be 400 pounds with a 4 year old in my uterus…  Might make a good TV show.

I’ve decided to make a list of everything I have done that I wouldn’t have if I didn’t have a baby to wait on:

Found a great little antique/ flea market in Levelland
Started blogging again
Cleaned and organized the house in like and hour (I felt like I was on speed that night)
Sat at the goosepond (a pond in Levelland geese visit in the winter) on the one gorgeous day we had this week
Haven’t gone to work in 2 weeks
Missed a great concert (it was 2 1/2 hours away)
Got addicted to Live! with Regis and Kelly, along with The View
Spent part of Spring Break with my mom in town (missed going anywhere for Spring Break)
Still sitting in PJ’s at 1 in the afternoon (shower soon to follow this post)
Sit around wanting excruciating pain to start (seems a little crazy)

And here is a list of all the things I will get finished today due to this kid staying cozy:

Finish the pajama pants I started to make for Husband and I
Clean the house again
Make Husband dinner
Hang out with the bestie?  (I should call her…)
Go to work for 30 minutes to finish some things I need to finish
Pray

I think if I add anymore on to the list I won’t get anything finished and then I would be really sad…  So, here’s to a productive day!!!  Wish me luck!!!

Wishcasting Wednesday: Take a Break

Today is Wishcasting Wednesday.  And I have been so absent from the blogging world that it took a lot for me to come back even though it is so relieving whenever I post.  So, I am re-emerging myself into this space, with quite a question from Jamie this week.

What do you wish to take a break from?


Hmmm…..

I’m actually tired of taking a break.  I haven’t been to work in a week and a half and I don’t really want to go back.  Being around people right now is so taxing.

I guess you could say that I want to take a break from being on break.  I’m ready (ish) for this new change.  I’m ready for life to get back to normal.  Well, as normal as it can get after a baby is born.  I wish to take a break from my own brain, from the waiting, and most of all from my whiny self.  But, all that aside, life is life, and I really am blessed with an amazing husband, a great job, a loving family, and that is what I never want a break from.

Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

I don’t really know what to write about right now, but I had the inkling to post, so here I am.  A relaxed night in the McNutt household.  Although, I really need to finish the laundry, finish the dishes, and find some more food…  Hmmmm…

This week has been great, but I am going back to the phase of feeling unproductive.  Ugh, it’s because I haven’t been able to sleep less than 12 hours a night.  I know what you’re thinking, that that is a crazy thing to be annoyed about, but seriously, I wake up feeling like I’m getting nothing accomplished.  This morning I actually got up to go to Mass, I ate breakfast with Husband, and then he left for work and I still had almost an hour before Mass.  So what did I do?  I fell asleep on the couch.  Yep, and then I didn’t wake up until WAAAAAAYYYY later….  So once again I wasted a morning away, and the crazy thing is I’m fighting to keep my eyelids open right now.  Pregnant body is so crazy…..  I guess it’s just preparing for life with a new baby around.  I know I won’t be able to sleep at all then….

But, I am blessed enough to be able to sleep in when I need it, even if it is an entire week of it.  We’ll see how life goes in the next couple of months.  It should be interesting for sure!

Signs of a Blessed Pregnant Woman

Many days I sit back and thank God for the many blessings in life.  This past week has been one filled with God’s blessings through many different people.  I must admit that lately I have been tired and overwhelmed from different things in life, and of course God provides us with more grace and understanding than we can handle.  It’s a good thing.

Let me start with a co-worker of Wade’s.  She called and said, ‘I know what it’s like this stage in the pregnancy, I want to come clean your house.’  Um, I would have been an idiot not to take her up on this offer.  It made me cry a little, seeing as I hadn’t had the energy or willpower to even do the dishes in like 2 weeks.  So, we got kicked out of our house and went on a date and got home and the house was spit-shined and amazing!  I’ve never been able to get my floors this clean.  Seriously.  Blessing #1.

Number Dos:  Friends.  They are like gold.  I have had some great times with some around here lately.  From our super short Super Bowl party (a sign that we are getting all growned up.)  To the days I get to spend with my new, dear friend Megan.  I’m telling you, it takes a true friend to go with you to a breastfeeding workshop when she’s not even preggers.  Of course, we went to the bead store, Chick-fil-A and looked for Valentine’s stuff for the hubbies.  It was a relaxing night out.  (Although the workshop was simply a joke of a DVD.)  Definitely a needed evening of pure joy and fun.

And probably my favorite pregnant blessing of the week (besides the fact that I have life growing within me, that’s a constant one, though) is this:  the other night I had been so tired, I think I slept on average about 13 hours this past weekend, anyway, I mentioned how great a bubble bath would be.  The next thing I knew, my wonderful husband had scrubbed the tub down (although I think it had been scrubbed previously by afore mentioned house cleaning) and then he drew me a nice warm bubble bath, complete with my current read, a hot cup of peppermint tea, and candlelight.  It was so relaxing, I think I spent at least an hour and a half in the tub while Husband and Dog were playing on the ukulele.  In fact, I think I may repeat that about right now….

May every pregnant woman have as many great people in her life as I do!

SNOW DAY #2

It’s been snowing for two days straight.  It’s really pretty outside, but I’m totally over being stuck in the house.  Which is crazy, really, because on normal days I like being in the house, but I feel like I’m in a really energetic stage right now, and I want to get things done, and being stuck at home is not working out for me.  So, yesterday, I figured out how to get the free trial of photoshop elements to function, I played Wii Fit for an hour (it was actually nice to me yesterday, my Wii Fit age was my normal age for once), I made dinner, I read up on photography stuff….  I watched snow fall….   And then I was totally over it.  Totally.  


So I told Husband that I needed out of the house, let’s go drive around.  Yes, we can be that stupid.  But seriously, the dog and I were both about to start chewing through the furniture.  So, we both grabbed our cameras, bundled up, and headed out.  The drive was pretty, and of course really slow.  But it was enjoyable.  I think Godiva and I both just looked out the window the whole driveenjoying a change of scene.  We finally got to where we were going.  There is a pond that geese migrate to for the winter (didn’t do them much good this year) and it is really pretty, especially covered in snow.  So, of course right away, I go to get out of the truck, not thinking about the weather and fell on my butt.  Yep, right in the middle of the street.  And I think it’s really funny, but Husband was kind of worried, but really it was not that bad of a fall, except I slammed both knees into the door of the truck…..  So that was fun.  Then we got the dog out of the car and she almost got run over because Wade and I were both taking pics, not paying attention, and she was just being a dog.  But no worries, she’s fine.  We played in the snow for like 2 seconds, in that short amount of time, I couldn’t feel my fingers or my nose, so Godiva and I got back in the truck and watched Husband take pics.  I really got maybe 2 pics taken….  But, Godiva and I were both happy because we got out of the house.  Well worth the trip in the snow.  =)


So today I was hoping for a little of the snow and ice to be gone, instead it came down more.  So, I got up early because for some reason I couldn’t sleep. I actually got dressed to help my productivity….  I did clean the kitchen, I am working on laundry, and I have a craft project in mind.  Sweet dealio!  So, here’s to snow day #2 and trying to use it to my advantage…

Here is the latest pic we have of Baby Nutt, posted on request. =)  

This is like 2 months old, though.  But check out the muscles!!!

Prego Progress

I was told I should blog more about my pregnancy.  Mostly because I have all these ridiculous things that continue to happen that I love to blow way out of proportion to create a good story.  Actually, that’s a lie.  I blow them out of proportion because I can tend to be a tad bit dramatic.  Stop laughing, I already know it’s true….


So here is a story that I think most will enjoy.  


Husband and I got a Wii for Christmas.  Way fun, and definitely a nice surprise from the in-laws!  So, we got the Wii home and realized that we should get a new TV.  Mind you, we don’t really splurge on things like that, not to mention the fact that I was absolutely adamant about not having a TV in the house.  Mostly because I can get really addicted to the crappy TV shows that everyone loves but no one will admit to loving.  But, all that aside, we made a trip to Wal-Mart with all of our Christmas money and leftover gift cards.  We bought a new TV, a new TV stand (our living room actually looks kind of updated now, well, aside from the mismatched garage sale furniture.)  And the best purchase of all, Wii Fit Plus to go with our new Wii!!!


Mind you, this was the one thing that convinced Wade to keep the Wii (when it was given to us, it was given with the reciept so we could take it back if we wanted in exchange for the cash.)  So, we have the Wii Fit, and really, it totally rocks.  I swear, Wade is getting way buff because he really uses it to work out and stretch his back and such.  Not to mention all the really fun games that allows you to be penguins and chickens and get hit in the face with metal cleats without bleeding.  It’s quite the experience.  If you ever come visit, we will for sure make you play.  ;)


Anyway, in order to partake in the exciting festivities on the Wii Fit, you must create a Mii character (really fun, actually, our’s creepily resemble us).  And then with your Mii character you get weighed and measured and have to do all these balance tests.  Really great when your not 7 months prego!!!  The Wii continually tells me I’m overweight, in which I like to yell back at it that I’M NOT FAT, I’M PREGNANT!!!!  Seriously, why is there not a pregnant mode so that when you gain a pound since last time it will celebrate instead of reprimanding you and asking you why you think you gained weight…  And then when it doesn’t give you the right answer, and you say, “I don’t know” it says, “really, you don’t know?”  I’m not kidding this is my actual conversation with our video game.  


And to make matters worse, the balance test results in a ‘Wii Age’.  A couple years ago I was a couple of years younger than my actual age.  Now, because I’m a little top heavy and ginormous in the front, it says I’m like 35.  WHAT!?!  And then my little Mii character gets this defeated look and shakes her head.  All this while I’m standing on the balance board yelling, ‘I’M PREGNANT, YOU STUPID THING!!!’  And Wade is trying to reassure me that it’s really okay and I’m not fat, and that I’m cute and blah blah blah….


Anyway, just one of my many pregnant adventures.  =)  Really, I love it.  And I really am getting huge.  I have added this picture to show you.  =)

Not to mention, this pic was taken in our nursery, now painted.  Check out the process here!!!